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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. track — a song
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. file — a line of people
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. track — a path
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com